Dara had spotted Jiyong standing by the tree in the courtyard they usually meet during lunch since they got together two years ago. He wasn’t sitting on the bench and just standing there looking frozen. Dara’s brows furrowed as she approached him because it doesn’t look like he had noticed her coming. He looked so lost in thought that Dara’s playfulness emerged at the idea of startling him and she tiptoed silently towards Jiyong before jumping in front of him making those weird faces that she would only allow Jiyong to witness.

He didn’t bat an eye though nor did he laugh. His eyes just went from staring into nothing to rest on her contorted face. Dara paused waiting for a reaction before returning her face to normal when she received nothing. “What’s wrong?” She asked him studying his face. It wasn’t like him to be unresponsive no matter how ridiculous she can be.

Jiyong didn’t move and was just staring at her. Dara noticed he was holding a piece of paper in his hand and she took it from him. “What’s this?” She started reading and it took a couple of minutes before she actually understood what it’s about. Her eyes widened and formed an O as she looked back at Jiyong’s face. She was also speechless.

“Jiyong…” She started to speak.

Jiyong’s face broke into a slow grin. “I got in. I really… got in.”

Dara felt the smile on her face widen as the look of sheer happiness broke through Jiyong’s face and her eyes went back to the letter’s header.

HIGHGRND UNIVERISITY OF ARTS

ACCEPTANCE LETTER

It was the school that Jiyong had applied for a scholarship to pursue his dream in Music. Dara’s eyes went back to his exultant face.

“The principal gave me that. I just… I don’t know if I should believe it,” Jiyong said still sounding incredulous..

“Well, duh!” Dara said waving the paper at him. “Do you think this is being conjured by some kind of magic?”

Jiyong grinned at her. “I guess we’re still going to be schoolmates after we graduated highschool.”

Dara was accepted as a student in the school to take up Film Making last month and she is more than thrilled that Jiyong was accepted in the same school through a scholarship. He worked on his application and studied hard to hit the qualified GPA. But the school probably heard how amazing Jiyong is which can also count on them accepting him. She swatted him on the shoulder with a pout. “Why didn’t you tell me you applied for Highgrnd too?” She had asked him once if he would consider Highgrnd and he had told her his family can’t afford its fees. She thought he was applying for a scholarship on a college closer to his hometown.

Jiyong grinned as he took a hold of her wrist and slowly pulled her closer to him, “I didn’t want you to be disappointed if I didn’t get in.”

Dara rolled her eyes. “They would be stupid not to accept you. You’re like a legend in this school. Who doesn’t want legends?”

Jiyong wrapped his arms around her waist grinning widely. “I guess you’re stuck with me now until possibly after we graduated college and maybe not even then. I have no intention of letting you out of my radar.”

Darie tried hard to stop from smiling at what he said but it still came out looking as sappy as ever. “I can’t believe that I had been secretly crushing over you for so long when you already got it bad for me.”

Jiyong grinned looking into her eyes. “I love you Dara.”

Dara’s sappy smile turned even sappier. She will never get tired of him saying that.

“I. LOVE. YOU!!!” He yelled at the clear blue skies that had bore witness to Dara’s utter happiness that she never thought would end.

“Dad, I’m really sorry. I’ll visit when I can,” Dara took a sip of her soda as she talked to her father on the phone who was complaining about her not visiting more often. The last time she visited him was two months ago and she had only stayed for three hours before she got called for an emergency filming. “I know but I promise I’ll come visit as soon as my project is over.” She caught sight of one of the cameraman that they are waiting for and some of the staff reloaded the van. “Oh! Dad, I really gotta go. I promise! Yes, I promise! Love you dad!” She finished her soda, tossed it inside the trash can before running to the van to sit next to the writer.

They were on their next location which is the High Shool where Jiyong had attended. Epik High School.

Her High School too.

The company had only provided a van to take four cameramen, two writers, three PAs and of course her, to Epik High School and the rest of their equipments carefully stacked at the back which is the reason Dara is feeling a little claustrophobic. She patted the seat of the driver, Jackson, to hurry up. “C’mon, we’re going to be late. We only have 30 minutes before call time.” They only made a stop over to get a quick snack since most of them haven’t had breakfast yet.

Jackson, one of their cameramen who had designated himself to be the driver started the ignition. “When’s the director coming?”

“He told me he’s going to get there after an hour,” Dara answered. “I think he’s got some things he need to do.”

“What about Janey?”

Dara sighed heavily. “She said she’ll get there before lunch.” Everytime she talks to Janey, her day gets sour.

“She’s sleeping with the director isn’t she?” One of the personal assistant had bravely asked. Dara remembered her as really outspoken and doesn’t care a damn whether would end up with her being fired.

“Jisoo!” Dara admonished her.

“What?” Jisoo said innocently.

“That is an unprofessional subject to discuss,” Dara insisted then added snottily, “And besides, I can’t believe you have to point out the obvious.” All the people in the van hooted and laughed at that and Dara continued grinning broadly because bashing Janey is relieving her stress for handling this project on her own. It’s just so unfair that the Assistant Producer had to do the entire scheduling and research while the main producer is having it easy by ordering coffee and food to be laid down at her feet when she arrive. “And if there’s anyone here who can’t see that, you need to buy eyeglasses!”

The van was filled with banters and laughter as they trekked the highway to get to Epik High School. It wasn’t that far but being the cramped van made the ride feel a lot longer. When Darie realized they were already near the place, recognizing the familir street, she took her phone and shush the people in the van while she called her contact at Epik High; the principal who had been her History teacher before.

“Good morning Principal Jung!”  She greeted brightly. “Yes. We’re already close. Look your best principal. See you!”

“What about Kwon Jiyong?” A cameraman had asked. “What time will be there?”

“He said he’s already on his way earlier,” Dara answered nonchalantly. She was surprised that she had received a message from him earlier that day stating that he would driving early to Epik High. She wondered how did he get his number? Probably from the director? Or his CEO since she had mostly contacted Mr. Yang Hyun Suk using her phone before.

“He seems really laid back on the interview,” the writer, Lee Hi, had commented. “Really reserved.”

Dara scoffed. Reserved? “He’s anything but reserved,” she muttered under her breath. They should see him dancing like an idiot and singing at the top of his lungs during his University days. The memory irritated her, though.

“I’ve seen the doctor he was dating. She was really pretty,” one of the cameramen commented. “I took a photo of her in the hospital when I brought my wife there.” He took out his phone to let them see.

Of course she ddn’t want to see that, not because she’s bitter, but because she had better things to do than gossip about Kwon Jiyong’s lovelife. Who cares what his girlfriend looks like? She just took out her earphones and plug them in so she wouldn’t have to listen to the staff’s idle gossip.

She only took it off when the driver had parked the car on the school’s parking lot. The school entrance was teeming with students and already looking their way looking excited. They probably already heard someone famous would be visiting and filming their school. The staff started to unload the equipment and Dara told them she would meet with the principal first to get everything set up.

Showing her ID to the security, she strode directly to the office of the school’s faculty and was immediately greeted by Principal Jung by the door. She looked so old from what Dara had remembered her to be. And she had packed on a few pounds—or a lot—for the last 10-15 years.

“Dara,” Principal Jung greeted warmly and Dara returned her hug. The principal used to be so tall too, now it seems like they are now the same height.

“Teacher,” Dara said with a smile. “Or should I say Principal?”

“You can call me however you like,” Principal Jung had said with a kind smile. “You’re looking so beautiful, Dara.”

“Awww,” Dara said. “I know.” She chuckled.

“Come on in. All your teachers wanted to see you. Well, there’s only three of them now who stayed here. And Jiyong’s already inside.”

Dara slowed a little at that. Drat. He’s already here. She had hoped he would be somewhere else first and she would be comfortable enough before he appeared. Pasting a smile on her face, she entered the office and greeted warmly again by her high school teachers.

“Look at you, Dara.”

“You look so grown up.”

“You haven’t changed a bit.”

Dara only chuckled and gave each of them a very warm hug. Jiyong was standing by the principal’s desk watching them and Dara only glanced at him before turning to the principal.

“I’m sorry Principal,” Dara contritely. “We’re kind of a few minutes behind schedule so we really need to get our equipment set up. Our writers will be coming here to brief you on the sequencing and you would only need to talk about… you know…. how Jiyong was or how he is as a student. You know, the usual.”

“Shouldn’t you be interviewed too since you know him a lot more?” The principal had asked innocently.

Awk.Ward.

Dara refused to glance in Jiyong’s direction again, her smile frozen, as her teacher seems to be locked in the year when her students had been dating. Didn’t she know life goes on and doesn’t stick to one phase in a human’s life? “I could… probably tell a lot about him if we did this interview… ten years ago.” She smiled and hoping her teacher can understand what she’s trying to say.

She did, thank god. The principal covered with her hand. “Oh,” she breathed quietly then put a hand on her chest. “I’m sorry. I thought you’re still together.  I really thought you are going to marry each other as what you had promised.”

Oh my god. Dara felt like smacking her own face for the principal’s tactlessness. The principal chuckled waving her hand at Dara. “It was a really fun memory and I’m glad that you two were very vocal then.” The teacher looked at Jiyong who doesn’t look like he was bothered by what the principal is saying while Dara is getting hot around the collar from the embarassment of that memory. Especially being retold in front of the receipient of her idiocy.

“Things happen,” she said rigidly. “I’ll have the writers get ready.” She only glimpsed Jiyong with a stupid smile on his face as he watched her leave the faculty office.

The filming started a couple of minutes after the director arrived. He had reviewed the shots the cameramen had taken earlier first, probably trying to vis